pauline chapel virtual tour

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The commission given to Michelangelo to decorate the new chapel must have been contemporary to the finishing of The Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel. The artist first painted the Conversion of Saint Paul between the end of 1542 and July, 1545. The works for the Crucifixion of Saint Peter began immediately after the completion of the Conversion of Saint Paul and ended in March of 1550.   The iconographic program of the Chapel, was most certainly suggested in part by the Pope himself and it is possible that originally it was different than the present one. In fact, Vasari in his first edition of "Lives of the painters," wrote about a Consignment of the Keys , and not about the Crucifixion of St. Peter . Thus it could be — unless the Aretino made a mistake — that the original theme for the frescoes was the "call" of the two Princes of the Apostles.

The glass in the windows was completed in 1543 by Pastorino, while Perin del Vaga was commissioned in 1542 to decorate the vault with stuccoes.

The final appearance of the Pauline Chapel after the interventions of Perin del Vaga and Michelangelo is unclear and it is particularly uncertain if the decorations were even completely finished.

L’abbellimento della appella riprese con The The embellishing of the Chapel started again with Gregory XIII (Boncompagni, 1572-1585) who, in 1573 sought the advice of Vasari for a new iconographic program, but which was never carried out. However, the second phase of the decoration started during the same year when Lorenzo Sabatini painted the Stoning of St. Stephen , the Healing of Saint Paul in the house of Anania and the The Fall of Simon Mago , which were all completed by the end of 1577, the same year as the death of the artist. Between 1580 and 1585 Federico Zuccari and some helpers finished the decorations by painting the Baptism of the Centurion and replacing the ceiling decoration with the fifteen Stories of St. Peter and of St. Paul .   Until the papacy of Leo XIII (Pecci, 1878-1903), the intervention of Pope Paul V (Borghese, 1605-1621) in the Chapel was testified to by the presence of his large papal coat of arms on the floor. These renovations must have focussed primarily on the altar area and been connected to the works done by Maderno for the façade of Saint Peter as well as to the construction of the new Bell Tower next to the Apostolic Palace. In fact, some documents clearly acknowledge that the walls of the Pauline Chapel were also affected by the new façade.

Nei due ecoli successivi sono During During the next two centuries, restorations are documented during the papacy of Alexander VIII (Ottoboni,1689-1691), possibly in order to repair damages caused by a fire while another three minor restorations occurred in the XVIII Century. To Clement XI (Albani, 1700-1721) we attribute the construction and embellishment of the wooden structure or "machina" of the 40 hours devotion for the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament which covered the area of the altar. In 1741, Pope Benedict XIV (Lambertini, 1740-1758) commissioned Domenico Spolia "restorer of paintings and stuccoes" the complete restoration of the Chapel. Another intervention, probably more limited, must have been done in 1786 by the "figurative painter" Bernardino Nocchi who was paid for the "restorations of paintings and frescoes in the Pauline Chapel and in the Sala Regia."   The Nineteenth Century was characterized by two very important restorations: the first one was commissioned by Pope Gregory XVI (Cappellari, 1831-1846) and focussed not only on the paintings and stuccoes, but also on the altar area where the "bella machina" was removed along with its entire wooden apparatus. As a result, the wall behind the altar was renovated with a magnificent marble tabernacle to keep the Blessed Sacrament, four granite columns, and precious marbles as well as the painting The Transfiguration of Our Lord by Simone Cantarini. Pope Gregory XVI also added a "new floor of marble sections covering the presbytery, separated from the rest of the Chapel by a grate" ("L'Album", 25th December, 1837, p.330). A commemorative marble inscription was placed on the lunette above the altar (and subsequently removed) as a testimony of these works. In 1838 the engraver Pietro Girometti made a medal representing the Pauline.   A further renovation took place during the Pontificate of Pius IX (Mastai-Ferretti 1846-1878), as the archival documents and the presence of his coat of arms in the Chapel testify. A dedicatory plaque was placed above the door before the intervention of Pope Paul VI which held the inscription "PIUS IX PONT. MAX. PAULI III SACELLUM ANTIQUAE FORMAE MAGNIFICENTIUS RESTITUIT. ORNAVIT AN. MDCCCLV".

È nell’ambito dei lavori di PioIX During the During the works commissioned by Pius IX, the "machine of the 40 hours" was placed back in its former location. The same machine was definitely removed once again during the papacy of Leo XIII during the years of 1890-91. This renovation focussed once again on the altar wall and the floor where the architect Virgilio Vespignani replaced the coat of arms of Paul V with the coat of arms of the reigning pope. The execution of the works was given to the "marmoraro romano" Paolo Medici (a specialist in marble sculpting). Also the walls of the presbytery, which were evidently affected by the presence of the machine of the 40 hours, were newly decorated.   A complete new restoration took place in the XX Century between 1933 and 1936. The results of this restoration were presented at the Roman Pontifical Academy of Archaeology on the 12th of January 1934 by Bartolomeo Nogara, the then Director of the Vatican Museums and Biagio Biagetti, Director of the Paintings of the Holy Apostolic Palace. Furthermore, a complete photographic documentation of the frescoes by Michelangelo both of the Pauline Chapel and the Last Judgement was completed.

The restoration took place simultaneously with the one of the Last Judgement, under the direction of Biagetti and utilised the same methods. The restoration started with the Conversion of St. Paul (January 1933 — November 1933), followed by the Crucifixion of St. Peter (August 1933 — February 1934) and continued with the side frescoes of Lorenzo Sabatini and Federico Zuccari. The restoration of the decoration of the vault was continued between July 1935 and January 1936.   In 1975, during the papacy of Paul VI (Montini 1963- 1978) and after the liturgical reformation of the Vatican Council II, the last arrangement took place in the Pauline Chapel. On this occasion, the Medici Company, constructed an oval altar in yellow imperial block as well as a round base under the tabernacle of the same stone (the project was prepared by the architect Giovanni Carbonara). During this restoration the marbles of the apse were cleaned and a new commemorative plaque was placed on the entrance wall.

Celebration of Vespers on the occasion of the re-opening of the Pauline Chapel in the Vatican Apostolic Palace (4 July 2009) [ English , French , German , Italian , Portuguese , Spanish ]

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Explore the Sistine Chapel From Home on a Virtual Tour With the Vatican Museums

These virtual tours include areas that are usually off-limits to the public.

Jessica Poitevien is an international storyteller and regular contributor to Travel + Leisure.

If you are not able to travel in person for whatever reason, the good news is that museums and attractions around the world are providing virtual tours, allowing you to experience them from the comfort of your couch.

Among the most iconic places offering virtual tours is the Vatican .

Typically millions of travelers visit the Vatican Museums every year. Its many halls are almost always crowded, making it difficult at times to truly admire the intensely detailed frescoes, especially in the Sistine Chapel. However, the Vatican Museums created a variety of impressive virtual tours showcasing several areas around the grounds. Now, you can sit at home and contemplate these historic beauties with easy-to-navigate virtual tours that are also completely free of charge.

There are 26 distinct areas in the Vatican Museums, and thanks to this digital tourism option, virtual visitors have the opportunity to explore sections that are normally off-limits to the public, including the Niccoline Chapel , which features frescoes by Fra Angelico. Raphael's Rooms, created for popes Julius II (1503-13) and Leo X (1513-21), also have 360-degree tours that place you right in the middle of the elegant rooms.

The Vatican Museums also offer photos and videos of other areas where virtual tours have not been made, such as the Gregorian Egyptian Museum , the Jewish Lapidarium , and the Carriage Pavilion .

For a full list of all the virtual tours available, visit the Vatican Museums official website . And once you're done exploring, be sure to check out these 12 museums from around the world that are also offering virtual tours.

Jessica Poitevien is a Travel Leisure contributor currently based in South Florida, but always on the lookout for the next adventure. Besides traveling, she loves baking, talking to strangers, and taking long walks on the beach. Follow her adventures on Instagram .

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Take a 3D Virtual Tour of the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica and Other Art-Adorned Vatican Spaces

in Architecture , Art , Religion | May 24th, 2013 9 Comments

For­get the air­ports, the tick­et lines, and the crowds. Now you can step right into the Vat­i­can’s most sacred spaces and inspect the won­ders of Renais­sance art and archi­tec­ture with just a click of a mouse. The Vat­i­can has post­ed a series of vir­tu­al tours cre­at­ed by stu­dents and fac­ul­ty in the com­mu­ni­ca­tion and com­put­ing sci­ence depart­ments at Penn­syl­va­ni­a’s  Vil­lano­va Uni­ver­si­ty . The four Papal Basil­i­cas are includ­ed, along with the small­er Sis­tine and Pauline chapels. Here are six links to six amaz­ing vir­tu­al tours:

Basil­i­ca of St. Peter : Designed by Michelan­ge­lo and oth­ers, St. Peter’s is the focal point of the Vat­i­can, and per­haps the most famous exam­ple of Renais­sance archi­tec­ture. You can scroll up and down to inspect the walls and ceilings–including the famous dome–and zoom in for a close look at Michelan­gelo’s mas­ter­piece the Pietà  or Bernini’s ornate canopy, or bal­dachin , over the Papal Altar.

The Sis­tine Chapel :  The most famous build­ing in the Vat­i­can, after St. Peter’s, is the Sis­tine Chapel, a part of the Pope’s offi­cial res­i­dence, the Apos­tolic Palace. Fres­coes by Raphael, Berni­ni, Bot­ti­cel­li and oth­ers adorn the walls–and on the ceil­ing, one of the great mas­ter­pieces in the his­to­ry of art: Michelan­gelo’s ear­ly 16th cen­tu­ry depic­tion of scenes from the Book of Gen­e­sis, cov­er­ing some 12,000 square feet. On a walk­ing tour you would bare­ly have enough time to rec­og­nize some of the major scenes. With this vir­tu­al tour you can spend all the time you want scan­ning around and zoom­ing in to study the details.

Arch­basil­i­ca of St. John Lat­er­an :  The Pope’s offi­cial eccle­si­as­ti­cal seat, St. John Lat­er­an is the old­est Papal Basil­i­ca. But many of its most famous fea­tures are rel­a­tive­ly recent.  The basil­i­ca is per­haps best known for its neo­clas­si­cal façade by Alessan­dro Galilei, com­plet­ed in 1735.

Basil­i­ca of Paul Out­side-the-Walls :  Built out­side the old city walls, this basil­i­ca con­tains the tomb of St. Paul. You can see the tomb and oth­er fea­tures of the grace­ful church (which was rebuilt in the 19th cen­tu­ry after a dev­as­tat­ing fire) on the tour.

Basil­i­ca of St. Mary Major : This basil­i­ca is actu­al­ly locat­ed out­side the Vat­i­can City com­pound, in Rome, but has extrater­ri­to­r­i­al sta­tus sim­i­lar to that of a for­eign embassy. Built in the fifth cen­tu­ry, with some lat­er addi­tions, the basil­i­ca is a beau­ti­ful exam­ple of clas­si­cal Roman archi­tec­ture.

The Pauline Chapel :  Anoth­er chapel in the Apos­tolic Palace, the Pauline Chapel is sep­a­rat­ed from the Sis­tine Chapel by the Sala Regia, or “Regal Room.” Although less well-known than the Sis­tine Chapel, the Pauline Chapel hous­es two great fres­coes by Michelan­ge­lo: “The Con­ver­sion of Saul” and “The Cru­ci­fix­ion of St. Peter.”

by Mike Springer | Permalink | Comments (9) |

Related posts:

Comments (9), 9 comments so far.

thank you! breath­tak­ing!

Wow! Def­i­nite­ly divine intervention…astonishing ! Mind blow­ing! Praise The Lord!

ou can skip to the end and leave a response. Ping­ing is cur­rent­ly not allowed. sonya says … | May 25, 2013 / 12:49 pm thank you! breath­tak­ing!

Mandy says … | August 3, 2013 / 12:53 pm Wow! Def­i­nite­ly divine intervention…astonishing ! Mind blow­ing! Praise The Lord!

I can­not access this site (vir­tu­al tour of Sis­tine Chapel. Why? I do not twit­ter, or have a face book account. Help! Shirley Bartmess

Beau­ti­ful !

Dear all, I need a help to find out name of the pic­ture and a painter of a oil on can­vas (i zhink) I saw in under­gorund gallery on the way to the Sis­tine chap­pel. The motiv of the pic­ture are work­ers who mak­ing a cross (pic­ture sim­bolis­es peo­ple “work­ing their job” no mat­ter what they that means eth­i­caly). Thank you a lot!

This is very good, keep it up! The paint­ings in the ceil­ing of the Chapel reli­gious paint­ings.

Unfor­tu­nate­ly this requires Adobe Acro­bat, which is not avail­able on Apple tablets due to an old squab­ble between Apple and Adobe. Wish I could see it it though!

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Virtual visit to the capilla paulina (rome, italy).

This chapel in the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican is named after Pope Paul III, who commissioned Antonio da Sangallo to build it in 1540. Separated from the Sistine Chapel by the Sala Regia, it serves as the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament inside the Vatican. Through this resource you can visit the interior of this chapel and see frescoes and sculptures by Michelangelo, Lorenzo Sabbatini, Federico Zuccaro and Bresciano.

Collection: Aplications

Project: 11. Science and culture as representation in Europe.

Chronology: XVI

Scope: Primary Education, Secondary Education, Baccalaureate, University

Link: http://www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/paolina_vr/index.html

Resource type: Web

Format: Multimedia

Source: Vatican.va

Language: Multilanguage

Date: 10/17/2014

Owner: Ramón Cózar Gutiérrez (Modernalia)

Copyright: © Vatican.va

Abstract: Virtual tour of the Pauline Chapel

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Sistine chapel virtual tour (rome, italy).

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Virtually visit St. Mary Major, the basilica of our Mother and Protectress

krivinis | Shutterstock

Aleteia invites you to a virtual Lenten pilgrimage through Rome’s 42 station churches: one church per day, from February 17 to April 11.

The basilica was completed by Pope Sixtus III one year after the Council of Ephesus (431) had proclaimed the legitimacy of the Marian title “Theotokos,” that is, “Mother of God.” This is the largest church in Rome dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Even today people come here to the feet of our Mother to invoke her protection and her intercession for their salvation. In the Pauline Chapel, to the left of the high altar, the icon of the “Salus Populi Romani” (“Protectress of the Roman People”) is venerated, a miraculous icon attributed to St. Luke. The icon, painted on wood, depicts the Virgin and Child and has been dated to the 12th or 13th century. Pope Francis is also very fond of this image, and he visits it to pray before and after every international trip.

Opposite, on the right aisle of the basilica, the Sistine Chapel (a different one from the chapel at the Vatican, but with the same name) houses the burial place of Pope St. Pius V, a very strict reformer of customs and of the clergy.

To Our Lady, Mother and Protectress of all believers, we entrust our Lenten journey.

The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51

* In collaboration with the Office for Social Communications of the Vicariate of Rome.

Read about the tradition of the station churches here . And see previous churches in the pilgrimage here .

Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you.

Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting Catholic news, stories, spirituality, and more.

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Vatican Museums and Secret Rooms Virtual Tour

Get the chance to enjoy a NEW unforgettable virtual experience in one of the most fascinating and most visited museums in the world: the Vatican Museums ! Home to some of Italy’s most important artworks—from paintings and sculptures to tapestries and classical antiquities —the Vatican Museums ( Musei Vaticani ) are one of Italy’s top attractions. During the virtual tour, you will be led by an art and history passionate guide in the discovery of the masterpieces of this outstanding Museum and its secret rooms . Did you know that the Vatican houses works by Michelangelo other than the Sistine Chapel frescos? The Pauline Chapel has the last frescos ever executed by Michelangelo. Have you ever heard of the Niccoline Chapel ? It is one of the most beautiful rooms in the Vatican, a little jewel box that once hosted the pope’s conclave before the Sistine Chapel.

Join us as we will explore the highlights and one-of-a-kind masterpieces of the Vatican Museums (except the Sistine Chapel) as well as some of the hidden areas of the Vatican that the common visitor doesn’t even suspect their existence . Don’t miss our second episode dedicated to the wonders of Sistine Chapel , one of the Vatican’s greatest and most popular treasures! Register here

Thursday, October 19th, 2023

03.00 pm – 04.00 pm EDT (New York Time)

Check in your timezone here

Time zones examples:

• Rome Time: 09.00 pm
• London Time: 08.00 pm
• Los Angeles Time: 12.00 pm

The tour will last approximately 1 hour. At the end of the tour you will be given the chance to interact and make questions just like a live tour. The tour takes place in English!

⭐PRICE⭐ How much does the virtual tour cost? Our virtual tour is tip-based . We prefer a system where you don’t have to pay for a ticket in advance without knowing how the virtual tour is going to be, instead, you take part in the tour first and at the end, you decide the price based on your satisfaction. Support our cultural activities  with a voluntary contribution. Your contribution will help us continue our initiative and support the guides . You can leave a tip here:

Can’t watch our virtual tour live due to the time zone or are you unable to join us live? Register at the virtual tour and we will send you the recording  hence you can watch it  in your own time!

How to Join:

The tour will be hosted on Zoom. After the registration, you will receive via email a personal link to access the virtual event. To protect your privacy, your camera will be disabled during the event.

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You can now take a virtual tour of the Sistine Chapel online

By Manon Garrigues

Today you can take a virtual tour of the Sistine Chapel , one of the most famous and grandiose religious monuments hidden in the heart of the Vatican Museums .

A Vatican treasure

The Vatican Museums in Rome are among the most visited museums in the world. Every year, 7 million tourists flock to discover the splendor of these 12 museums, comprising no less than five galleries and 1,400 rooms, inaugurated in 1771. An extraordinary collection of works of art, mainly paintings and sculptures collected over the centuries by the popes and the institution of the Vatican Museums . Among the must-sees are Apollo Belvedere , Laocoön and His Sons , Portrait of Doge Nicolo Marcello by Titian , The Entombment of Christ by Caravaggio and The Yellow Christ by Paul Gauguin . But the number one attraction of this sacred place remains the Sistine Chapel , the largest room in the Vatican Museums, and certainly the most spectacular. Named after Pope Sixtus IV della Rovere , who had the old Cappella Magna restored between 1477 and 1480, the Sistine Chapel has traditionally hosted the election of the new pope by the cardinals since the 15th century. But it is thanks to its incredible collection of paintings that the chapel is so famous. On the walls hang paintings by Perugino , Sandro Botticelli , Domenico Ghirlandaio , Cosimo Rosselli and Pinturicchio ... And the star of the show is the chapel's vault, which is entirely covered with frescoes painted by Michelangelo , the most famous of which is the one illustrating The Last Judgement . Currently closed because of the coronavirus epidemic, which is violently striking Italy and the rest of the world, the Sistine Chapel is offering a virtual tour of its treasures via its website.

The Vatican Museums

By Lilah Ramzi

By Lolita Mang

The Sistine Chapel

The vault, painted by Michelangelo

The Last Judgement by Michelangelo

The virtual visit of the Sistine Chapel is accessible on the website http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/fr/collezioni/musei/cappella-sistina/tour-virtuale.html

Translated by Freya Doggett

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20+ Hidden Gems Of The Vatican

Are you a repeat visitor to the Vatican looking for some more unusual things to see? If so, here’s my guide to 21 hidden gems in the Vatican Museums.

The Vatican Museums are an expansive and famous collection of 26 separate museums, with over 70,000 art works adorning their walls. Even with multiple visits, it’s difficult to scratch the surface of this massive collection, which is considered one of the most extensive in art history.

Famous attractions such as the Raphael Rooms, Sistine Chapel, and Round Hall draw crowds that can be overwhelming. However, visitors who want to escape the lines and crowds can discover hidden masterpieces and off the beaten path that are just as rewarding.

You won’t see these Vatican hidden gems on almost any standard tour. They’re hidden away in the Vatican’s less visited specialty museums. You’ll need to seek them out yourself, armed with a map and audio guide.

If you do, you will escape the crowds and discover some of the Vatican’s most unique art works. In any other museum, these Vatican hidden gems would be stand out masterpieces.

So if you’re wondering whether it’s worth it to visit the Vatican yet again, the answer is definitely yes.

Hidden Gems And Secrets Spots In The Vatican

Here are my picks for the 21 best lesser known highlights and secret spots in the Vatican Museums.

1. Melozzo da Forlì Frescos, Vatican Pinacoteca

Melozzo da Forlì was a fresco painter in the 15th century. He was a bridge between the Early and High Renaissance.

In 1480, Forli was commissioned to paint the apse of the Basilica of Sant Maria degli Angeli. The subject of the work was the ascension of Christ.

READ : Guide To the Most Beautiful Churches in Rome

Unfortunately, much of the Forli frescos were destroyed. But fragments made their way to the Vatican.

You can see Forli’s angels and the heads of some of the apostles in the Vatican Pinacoteca , which is the Vatican’s painting gallery. The most famous fragment is the Angel Playing the Lute .

The frescos are ethereal and vividly colored. Forli’s drawing shows the influence of Andrea Mantegna , who may have been Forli’s teacher, and Pierro della Francesca .

2. The Niccoline Chapel

The Niccoline Chapel is one of the most beautiful rooms in the Vatican, a little jewel box. It once hosted the pope’s conclave, or election, before the Sistine Chapel.

The chapel houses vibrant 15th century Early Renaissance frescoes. They were painted by Fra Angelico and his pupil Benozzo Gozzoli in 1448-49.

Fra Angelico was the most important painter of the Early Renaissance. He was a monk who combined a life of devotion to god and painting. His art works are known for their harmonious and classic beauty.

The two artists turned the chapel’s vault into a starry sky with four evangelists in the center. The walls are painted with scenes from the lives of Saint Stephen and Saint Lawrence.

The most famous scene is Fra Angelico’s Preaching of St. Stephen and St. Stephen Addressing the Council . It’s considered a masterpiece of a mature Fra Angelico. It has the artist’s classic well-balanced composition and harmonious colors.

4. Raphael Loggia

The Raphael Loggia is another enchanting hidden gem in the Vatican. Leo X commissioned Raphael and his workshop to paint the space.

It was originally an open air gallery. The writer Baldassarre Castiglione described it as “perhaps the most beautiful creation to have been seen in Rome since antiquity.”

The narrow gallery has 13 vaulted bays with Old and New Testament scenes, called “Raphael’s Bible.” The dominant decorative element are the “grotesque”style frescos. These frescos were popularized after the discovery of frescos in the subterranean ruins of Nero’s 1st century Golden House, Domus Aurea .

The frescos feature both realistic and imaginative human figures, animals, and plants with fantasy elements. The human figures were clearly inspired by Michelangelo’s frescos in the Sistine Chapel .

5. Loggia of Cardinal Bibbiena

The Bibbiena Loggia is located just above the Raphael Loggia and likewise was originally an open air gallery. It was also decorated by Raphael and his workshop.

This loggia is composed entirely of grotesque frescos, also inspired by Nero’s Golden House. It’s filled with fanciful and illusionistic architecture, putti, animals, and false niches — similar to those which appear in ancient Roman wall paintings.

6. Michelangelo Frescos In The Pauline Chapel

Did you know that the Vatican houses works by Michelangelo other than the Sistine Chapel frescos? The Pauline Chapel has the last frescos ever executed by Michelangelo and restored in the early 2000s.

Michelangelo painted the frescos at a time when he was moving away from Renaissance ideals to his late Mannerist style. At the time, The frescos weren’t nearly as popular as his Sistine Chapel works.

In The Crucifixion of St. Peter , Michelangelo portrays St. Peter in the moment in which he was raised, topside down on the cross, by Roman soldiers. Peter is depicted as vital in body and mind despite his great pain.

The white drapery on St. Peter and the nails were added by a later artist, much like underpants were added to the Sistine Chapel frescos . Restoration of the frescos, completed in 2009, revealed an image believed to be a self-portrait of Michelangelo. It’s the figure riding horseback in a blue turban in the far upper left corner of the painting.

Unfortunately, access to the Pauline Chapel is quite limited. It’s typically closed to the public and only open on special occasions. But you can take a virtual tour here .

7. Mars of Todi, Etruscan Museum

This ancient Etruscan statue is a an extremely rare bronze depicting a warrior in armor. The nearly life size statue was found in the Umbrian town of Todi. It only survived because, after being struck by lightning, it was deemed sacred and buried in a stone-lined coffin

Dating from the 5th century B.C.,  Mars of Todi  is one of the largest Etruscan statues in history. The sculpture is notable for its lifelike quality and realistic musculature. 

The warrior stands in a classic  contrapposto  pose. He appears about to speak. He originally held a spear, which is exhibited separately.

8. Sarcophagus of Helena

This monumental red porphyry sarcophagus is thought to have held the remains of Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great. She died around 335 A.D.

In 1777, the sarcophagus made its way to the Vatican. It was restored by Gaspare Sibilla and Giovanni Pierantoni and mounted on four lions carved by Francesco Antonio Franzoni.

According to legend, Helena, a Christian, made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. There, she discovered the True Cross and brought a fragment of it back. It’s a story that scholars almost universally reject as untrue.

The coffin is carved with military scenes. It depicts Roman soldiers on horseback and barbarian prisoners. On the top, cupids hold garlands and two lions sleep.

Because the sarcophagus is so military in decoration, some scholars have theorized that it was originally made for a male member of the Imperial family, such as Helena’s husband, Constantius Chlorus, or Emperor Constantine himself.

READ : History of the Roman Emperors

9. Chiaramonti Niobid , Gregorian Profanio Museum

This stunning sculpture in the Vatican Museums is a Roman copy of a Greek original. It depicts one of the daughters of Niobe, the Queen of Thebes. It shows the girl running to escape the arrows of Apollo and Artemis. 

According to Greek myth, a fertile Niobe had 14 children. She considered herself to be superior to Leto, who only bore Zeus two children, Apollo and Artemis.

The pair decided to punish Niobe for offending their mother. They hunt down and kill Niobe’s children with arrows. 

This figure is probably a copy of a statue from the age of Hadrian , when many group sculptures of Niobids were made. The most complete set of Niobids is housed in the  Uffizi Gallery  in  Florence . 

10. Simon Martini, Christ the Redeemer , Vatican Pinacoteca

Simone Martini is one of the most important painters of the Early Renaissance period, hailing from Siena. This small panel hidden in the Vatican Pinacoteca is the perfect example of Martini’s spare and elegant style, with an emphasis on blue and red colors.

The painting is a half length figure of Christ in what is known as the Salvator Mundi (Savior of the World) pose. His left hand rests on a bible. His right hand is held up in a blessing. Christ wears flowing robes with detailed gold filigree on the edges.

The panel is similar to Martini’s most famous work, the Maesta in the Palazzo Pubblico in Siena .

11. Giovanni di Paolo, The Nativity , Vatican Pinacoteca

Giovanni di Paolo is another Sienese painter from the quattrocento. He was known for his imaginative compositions, miniaturist technique, and pictorial storytelling.

Nativity  depicts the Christmas legend, the story of Christ’s birth. It’s an extremely rare nocturnal scene, illuminated solely by celestial rays.

At the top, angels announce Christ’s birth to the shepherds. Thornless red rose bushes border the stable, a symbol of Christ’s passion.

12. Fra Angelico, St. Francis Receiving the Stigmata , Vatican Pinacoteca

This is another beautiful Fra Angelico work. In this painting, St. Francis is given the stigmata, which are wounds corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Christ.

The saint is on the left in a rocky landscape. Red rays of light from an angel pierce his hands and feet. The only light is emitted from the angel.

This painting was once in the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi .

13. Lucas Cranach the Elder, Pieta , Vatican Pinacoteca

Lucas Cranach the Elder was one of the greatest German painters of the Renaissance. He was court painter to the Electors of Saxony for most of his career, and is known for his portraits. His Pieta is one of the few non-Italian works of art at the Vatican.

Cranach depicts Christ as the Man of Sorrows, a man of physical and spiritual suffering. Christ sits on a coffin, his body showing his terrible wounds. A crown of thorns is on his head.

The black background draws your attention to his gaping wound and the stigmata on his hands.

14. Paolo Veronese, The Vision of St. Helena , Vatican Pinacoteca

Veronese was an Italian Renaissance painter based in Venice , a master along with Titian and Tintoretto. He’s known for extremely large history paintings of religion and mythology, such as  The Wedding Feast at Cana  in the  Louvre .

The painting depicts Saint Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine. She is known as the first Roman noble to be baptized.

Helena is wrapped in shimmering and opulent garments with vibrant colors. She’s shown in a palace-like building. Veronese liked to combine religious motifs with worldly splendor. Helena is shown fast asleep, seated with her head resting on her hand.

In her sleep, she sees a vision of the location of the True Cross on which Christ was crucified. The cross from her vision is materialized and supported by a winged cherub.

The iconography is different than was traditionally used in Venetian art, where the Helena is shown standing beside the cross. The painting, which dates to about 1580, is part of the mature production of the great Venetian artist.

15. Room of the Immaculate Conception

Pope Pius X declared the dogma of the immaculate conception in 1854. That dogma posits that Mary was free of original sin. Pius decided to celebrate the announcement with a series of frescos. He chose a large room next to the Raphael Rooms .

Pius commissioned Francesco Podesti to paint the frescos. They took nearly 10 years to complete. There are allegorical scenes relating the virgin.

The largest and most famous images are the Proclamation of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception and The Crowning of Mary . The frescos were restored in 2007 and feature vibrant colors.

16. Aldobrandini Wedding Fresco , Sacred Museum

The Aldobrandini Wedding Fresco is a beautiful and enigmatic ancient Roman fresco. It’s one of the most important paintings from the early Roman Empire.

The wedding fresco dates to the age of Augustus , Rome’s first emperor. It was found in 1610 in the ruins of a Roman home on the Esquiline Hill and detached. In 1818, Pius VII acquired the fresco from the Aldobrandini family.

The fresco is generally thought to portray a wedding scene. Aphrodite is in the center, attempting to calm a distraught bride who fears her wedding night. A god, or perhaps the groom, is on the threshold.

But other scholars think the fresco depicts a scene from  Hippolytus Stephanephoros , a Greek tragedy written by Euripides around 428 B.C.

In that play, the bride to be is Phaedra, a princess from Crete. She was in love with Hippolytus, the man shown to the right. But Phaedra is betrothed to Theseus, Hippolytus’ father. Aphrodite comforts the lovelorn Phaedra.

17. The Passetto di Borgo

There’s a secret passageway to escape the Vatican in times of threat. The  Passetto del Borgo  is a secret corridor that leads from Vatican City to the nearby  Castle Sant’Angelo .

The  Passetto di Borgo  served as a secret escape route for popes in at least two instances.   In 1494, Pope Alexander VI used it to flee during Charles VIII’s invasion.

During the siege of Rome in 1527, Pope Clement VII used it to escape when Charles V killed the Swiss Guard. The pope didn’t leave the fortress-castle for six months.

The  Passetto di Borgo  even made an appearance in Dan Brown’s bestselling novel  Angels & Demons . You can only see the Passetto on a special guided tour.

18. Hall of the Muses , Pio-Clementine Museum

Opened in 1784, the Hall of Muses is another hidden gem in the Vatican. This room houses statues of muses that were discovered near Tivoli.

On the vaulted ceiling is an illusionistic painting telling the story of Apollo and Marsyas by Tommaso Conca.

Marsyas had the audacity to challenge the god Apollo to a musical duel. Despite Marsyas being given a flute by Athena, the muses judge Apollo the winner. Apollo avenges himself by flaying Marsyas alive.

19. Hall of Animals, Pio-Clementine Museum

Pope Pius VI had two rooms dedicated to the Hall of the Animals. The aim was to create a “stone zoo.”

There are many antique works of art. Many artists worked on the sculptures in this display during the 1700s. Some were restored or received.

Some of the animals are realistic. Others are fantastical. In the center is an ancient mosaic floor.

20. Francesco Hayez, The Return of the Art Works To Rome , Chiaramonti Museum

One of the darkest events in the history of the Vatican was the plundering of art by Napoleon. Napoleon occupied the Vatican in 1797.

He absconded with over 500 works of art, including treasures like Laocoon and Apollo Belvedere . Napoleon put them in the Louvre, which he had renamed the Napoleon Museum. About half of the works were returned in 1815, after Napoleon was defeated in the Battle of Waterloo.

READ : Facts About the Louvre

Hayez completed the painting in the lunette above in 1816. Hayez is most famous for The Kiss in the Brera Museum in Milan .

In this painting, he depicts the restitution of the art works, watched over by a man personifying the Tiber River. Two putti point to the train of ox-drawn carts with the returned treasures.

21. Casino of Pius IV, Vatican Gardens

Like many Renaissance popes, Pius IV had a taste for fine art. He built a casino, which is a garden house, on the western side of the papal palace. It was intended as a lush escape pad from the formalities of the Vatican palace.

The beautiful villa is designed in a Mannerist style by architect Pirro Ligorio. The complex comprises two buildings — the villa itself and a loggia to enjoy views. Between the two buildings is a small oval courtyard with built in benches.

In keeping with the Mannerist style of the late Renaissance, the villa is adorned with lavish stucco, sculptures, and frescos of mythological scenes. The interiors are lavishly decorated with paintings and stucco work by Federico Barocci and Federico Zuccaro.

Vatican Tours

You can take a guided tour of the Vatican or then do a DIY tour. I’ve done the Vatican many time both ways. If you’re a first timer, you’ll likely want a tour.

If you don’t book a guided tour, you absolutely must pre-book a  skip the line tickets . Or else you’ll be stuck in line for hours unless it’s the dead of winter.

Here are your Vatican tour options. You can pick a tour tailored to your own interests and museum going tastes. 

• a  2. 5 hour overview on a skip the line small group guided tour
• a  3 hour no  w ait tour that also includes the Raphael Rooms
• a  3.5 hour tour Vatican visit with a guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica
• a  3 hour Friday night tour of the Vatican
• a  Vatican tour that includes a climb of the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica
• a  small group Sistine Chapel first entry experience with Vatican Museums   (good for early birds)
• a  2-3 hour private tour of the Vatican

If you’re taking a guided tour, you’ll access  St. Peter’s Basilica  from the back left corner of the Sistine Chapel. Once inside the basilica, you cannot re-enter the Vatican Museums.

If you want to do some exploring on your own after a tour, do not enter the Sistine Chapel because you cannot re-enter the museums. Rather, see the hidden gems in the Vatican and, when you’re done, head to the Sistine Chapel.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my guide to the hidden gems of the Vatican. You may enjoy these other Vatican City guides:

• Masterpieces of the Vatican
• Guide to the Vatican Pinacoteca
• Guide to the Vatican’s Raphael Rooms
• Guide to the Sistine Chapel
• Underpants in the Sistine Chapel
• Guide to St. Peter’s Basilica
• 1 day itinerary for Vatican City
• Guide to Castle Sant’Angelo
• Famous sculptures at the Vatican

If you want to see the hidden gems of the Vatican, pin it for later.

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Last Updated on April 15, 2023 by Leslie Livingston

Fr. Ron Gagné, M.S.

Virtual tours of papal basilicas now available, we would love to keep in touch.

At the bottom of the new section of the Vatican website is the following: “Special thanks to Villanova University in Pennsylvania (USA) for its contribution to the realization of the Virtual Reality Tour of the Basilica of Saint Peter.” Yes, there is hope for this new generation of “computer nerds.” These students from this Catholic University based in Pennsylvania donated countless hours working on these projects and it was well worth their effort!

The site for St. Peter’s Basilica listed below offers several 360 degree views in spectacular detail. In fact, it offers views of six places within the basilica: the Apse (behind main altar), the Altar (beneath Benini’s baldacchino), the North Transept (to right of main altar), South Transept (to left of main altar), the Nave (near front entrance), the Choir Chapel (off left aisle), the Pieta (right aisle near front entrance). The last option to choose is St. Peter’s at Night, which is a view from the center of the Piazza of St. Peter’s.

 The entire tour is accompanied by Gregorian chant sung by the choir at Solemnes, France – a meditative sound that seems to echo through the aisles and Piazza of St. Peter’s.

Note that these panoramic tours prepared by the students of Villanova University allow you to view 360 degrees by simply clicking and moving your mouse in any direction. If you scroll your mouse-wheel, you can view more closely.

Virtual tours prepared by the students at Villanova University that you can take are: •  St. Peter’s Basilica •  Basilica of St. Mary Major •  the Basilica of St. John Lateran •  the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls   •  the Sistine Chapel • and The Pauline Chapel with some frescoes by Michelangelo

Other virtual tours also available: •  Redemptoris Mater Chapel •  The Vatican Necropolis under St. Peter’s Basilica . This tour begins with a short visit to the upper church and then takes you down to St. Peter’s tomb. Cardinal Comastri gives a short description of the history and importance of this site from the earliest centuries. It is a fine alternate for a personal visit, beautifully photographed and marvelously presented – a real treat!

Our own La Salette website also has several virtual tour of the Holy Mountain of La Salette , including interior and exterior panoramic views using similar digital technology.  

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The Secrets of the Vatican – Virtual Guided Tour – Live Show

The secrets of the vatican.

Virtual Guided Tour – Live Show

The Vatican is often synonymous of secrecy, and in fact, there is so much more than meets the eye within its the walls,  after a brief overview of the history of the Papal State, and how it came to be the world’s smallest country, we will explore with hires photos and 3d photographic models some of the hidden areas of the Vatican: The Masks Room with the Pope’s secret Chair, The Secret Archive, the Tower of The Winds, the Library, the Niccoline Chapel and other rooms that the common visitor doesn’t even suspect their existence just walking in front of closed doors. Lastly, we will explore the Pauline Chapel, Michelangelo’s unknown masterpiece painted just after the completion of the Sistine Chapel Last Judgement for Pope Paul II Farnese. An incredible opportunity to learn all the behind the scenes of the Vatican City State!

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Virtual Visit of the Basilica

The Villanovan

Vatican interns establish sistine chapel virtual tour.

Katie Armstrong April 7, 2010

Four to five computing sciences and communication majors at Villanova currently participate in an internship program with the Vatican each semester, working to revitalize the way the Vatican communicates with the modern world.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Vatican Internship Experience Program Director and Professor Jill Flanagan said. “Villanova is the only school in the world able to work in such a way with the Vatican.”

For the past two years, Villanova faculty and students participating in the program have worked on virtual reality tours, allowing tours of basilicas and chapels of the Vatican and across Rome literally at the click of a mouse button. The productions were co-led by Paul Wilson, a communication professor, Chad Fahs, Assistant Digital Media Coordinator for the communication department, and Frank Klassner, a member of the computing sciences.

“The project has pursued an interdisciplinary approach in bringing together the photographic expertise of the communication faculty with the virtual reality and Web technology expertise of its computing sciences faculty to teach student-team members about the many facets of producing immersive experiences over the World Wide Web,” Klassner wrote in an e-mail. 

 Members of the production teams were granted exclusive access to some of the most historic and sacred worship spaces in Italy, including the Sistine Chapel. For the project, program faculty and students spent five nights, in a closed-off and freezing Sistine Chapel, painstakingly collecting images from across the entire Chapel. 

With state-of-the-art equipment and technology, production teams were able to take thousands of digital photographs and compile high-resolution images of the entire interior of the Chapel. 

A computerized and motorized rig with a mounted digital camera took thousands of photographs of Michelangelo’s famous frescos and artwork. The photographs were then accumulated into stitching software and, after being individually color balanced and edited, were digitally stitched together, supervised by Fahs. 

After further editing for overlap, images were post-processed to create a file that allows the Chapel to be viewed in 3-D. Images can also be displayed through high-resolution zoom-ins. The tour was finally converted to a Web-based presentation, which secures the images and allows faster running time and viewing over Internet connections with a variety of data transfer times. 

Challenges were involved in making and producing the Sistine Chapel tour, such as the issues of gaining private access to the Chapel, acquiring photography permits and strict Vatican regulations about image usage.

Such challenges, however, did not interfere with the final product.

 “This project is monumental in that the artwork shown in the virtual tours has never been displayed publicly with this attention to detail before,” said Wilson, one of the founders of the Vatican Internship Program and a leader of the virtual tours projects. “This is a very unique way to experience every nuance of the Sistine Chapel.”

Junior Cristin Parise, a fall 2009 participant in the program, assisted in equipment set up, and during filming she kept a journal of the production group’s various experiences, tasks and actions for reflection. She found the Sistine Chapel virtual tour to be a wonderful experience.

“I hope everyone will be able to understand and appreciate what an incredible privilege this virtual tour is,” she wrote in an e-mail. “It gives people a rare opportunity for serene, uninterrupted viewing. As a ‘normal’ visitor to one of these Chapels, you just don’t have the same chance to see these sites up close or in silence – especially the Sistine Chapel. Without crowds, noise or distractions, it is an entirely unique experience.”

Several other Vatican virtual tours made by Villanova University are already released or still in the making, including tours of St. John Lateran, St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, St. Mary Major, the Pauline Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Program participants are also working on interactive projects of the Necropolis of Santa Rosa and the Vatican Museum. The Vatican Internship Experience was started in 2003 by two Villanova alumni who contributed equipment and financial support for the Internship Office of the Holy See. The Virtual Reality Tour of the Sistine Chapel is available on the Vatican Web site and on Villanova’s homepage. 

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Virtual Tour of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa

See inside and outside of our beautiful Shrine using 360 virtual tour.

Visit the Main Church, Lower Church (Chapel of Our Lady of Czestochowa), St. John Paul II Statue, Visitor Center Building (with Religious Article Center and Cafeteria), the historic Barn Chapel, Cemetery, Retreat House, Candle Chapel and more!

We hope that our virtual tour will encourage you to make a pilgrimage and visit our breathtaking grounds!

Shrine Grounds

Interior of Shrine Main Church

Chapel of Our Lady of Czestochowa

St. Anne’s Chapel

The First Chapel – Barn Chapel Interior

Candel Chapel

Cemetery Grounds

Retreat House Grounds

Religious Article Center

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